Government agents at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) intercepted a shabu shipment valued at over P111 million, which was smuggled from Mexico.
A composite team from the Bureau of Customs (BOC), the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), and the NAIA Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group (IADITG) seized the shipment during an operation at the DHL Cargo Warehouse within the NAIA Complex.
The shipment was misdeclared as “hand-made cultural craft paintings” and consigned to a resident of Bulacan.
Upon inspection, authorities discovered the illegal drugs concealed within wax and hidden in five hand-made cultural craft paintings, totaling 16.34 kilograms.
Customs Commissioner Bien Rubio noted that this method of smuggling drugs mixed with wax represents a new modus operandi aimed at evading detection and commended the personnel from the Port of NAIA for their vigilance.
“I congratulate BOC-NAIA for this successful operation and their quick response to this novel technique of concealment. The BOC remains relentless in its fight against illegal drugs and shall further heighten its border control measures to adapt to the new methods of smuggling,” he stated.
The confiscated drugs were turned over to PDEA for further investigation, and legal proceedings are currently underway against those involved for violations of Republic Act No. 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002) and Republic Act No. 10863 (Customs Modernization and Tariff Act).
